Good Ways
crazy bayou
Good ways is an observation game where players remember and reproduce routes from a map trying to mark as many bonus points as possible and to avoid any challenging/bad nodes. To outline the real-scale memorised routes, players use full size colorful maps and transparent paper sheets.
Material needed
Modalities
Duration
Learning objectives
SDG
Printables (cards, points), A4 transparent sheets, erasable marker x 6, scissors
6-12 years old, in group, in the classroom, indoor, at home, work alone
20 min.
Pedagogical interest
Orientation: helps to situate oneself in space and to find one's bearings. Spatial orientation is learnt through this game. By reproducing routes, children learn to prepare their mobility plans (means of transport, best routes and stopping points, obstacles, etc.).
Becoming aware of social commitment: discover and better understand the sustainable development goals (SDG) established by the member states of the United Nations. All maps of the game contain a certain number of SDGs that relate to positive sustainable development and a certain number of challenging SDGs.
Concentration and dexterity: children in this game are challenged to reproduce a real-scale route without lifting their marker from the sheet. Dexterity and fine motor skills are enhanced. Fine motor skill is the ability to control fine muscles – especially in the hands and eyes – to accomplish movements and tasks. In early childhood, kids need to develop holistically, which includes physical, intellectual (cognitive), social and emotional development. Both fine and gross motor skill development is important because academic success relies on a child having good control of their muscles. They need a strong core and good posture to sit at a desk without tiring, eye muscles that can track while reading, a good pencil grip and finger control to form letters when writing, and lots more.
Game rules
Game narrative: With Good ways, reproduce by hand the best possible route without raising the pen/marker from the transparent sheet of paper in a way that corresponds best to the full-scale map!
Role of the teacher and game organisation: We will call the children, players, and the adult in charge of the child elected, a referee. While players take turns playing, the referee decides on the turn order.
Installation: Place the maps in the middle of the table.
Give each player a transparent sheet of paper and a marker. Place the points tiles, 1 point and 5 points, in the middle of the players. The referee is responsible for the points.
Rounds
Round 1 - Drawing phase
All players simultaneously draw a continuous line, without raising their hand/marker, on a transparent sheet to reproduce a map that is presented on a separate sheet of paper.
The players have to follow the maps' paths, touch on the bonuses' points on the routes, positive SDGs (sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production), and avoid the challenges' points, negatively-related SDGs (poverty, hunger).
Below are exposed maps with bonuses and challenges. All green items are bonuses, even parts of the mas, such as grass, and tree leaves. All red items are challenges, even parts of the map, such as poisonous mushrooms or crabs. All other items are to be considered as neither bonus nor penalty.
Round 2 - Solving phase
Each player places their transparent sheet over the map and notes down the result of the points they have won during the respective turn. Here are the rules for calculating the winning points:
-
for every coinciding bonus node (between the drawing on the transparent sheet and the map) 1 point is given (bonuses are delimited by graphics borders and items other than the SDGs, such as paths, are counted only once)
-
for every coinciding challenge node 1 point is deducted (challenges are limited by borders)
-
in case no challenge node is touched 2 extra points are awarded
-
if the points of a player in a round are below zero, no points are noted down (or no points need to be deducted from the next turn)
***
Example of counting points:
-
1 points per SDG
-
1 point for the path
-
1 point for each green starfish
-
2 points for touching no penalty
***
Any player can, at any moment, ask the referee to make changes to their points.
The player who has the most points after all maps have been reproduced wins the game.
submit your work
Good Ways
Feel free to share you work with the unplugged partners and even with the European teacher's community! This will enable us to follow your achievements and reward you with game materials and other surprises to thank you for your participation in raising children's critical thinking! You rock!
Going further
Topic 1 - Orientation
To develop further orientation and spatial thinking you may wish to refer to other Unplugged games, among which: Farm in the City, Plastic Continent, Reroute a better world etc.; To read more about the importance of visual thinking skills you may see http://www.xplaner.com/visual-thinking-school/
Topic 2 - Learn about social commitment
To become acquainted about the Social Development Goals and actions you may wish to see https://bit.ly/3lIzknI. To see other games introducing the SDGs, you may wish to open: https://go-goals.org/ and https://culpeer-for-change.eu/quiz/en
Topic 3 - Concentration and dexterity
To train further children in developing their dexterity and fine motor skills you may wish to refer to other Unplugged games, among which: Good ways, Pop-up city in the Future, Dr. Hanoi, etc.
To read more about the importance of developing fine motor skills you may see https://empoweredparents.co/why-are-fine-motor-skills-important/